The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-01-05

presently. And the little head upon
the pillow-there was charm about
that, with its smoothly parted hair,
plated back in close braids. How much
the child has lost
Elliston had feared that she would
awake in alarm at her strange surround
iugs, but she did not seem fully aroused
until dawn of the next morning. Then
she looked uneasily about, as if for ia
miliar faces, and called:
-" Pauinel Pauline! Louis Pierrel
Paulinel ma bonnie Pauinel"
The childish appeal became very pa
thetic and ended in sobs. Her words
seemed to prove what her rescuer had
already suspected, that it was from no
neighboring shore this waf had drifted
He tried to divert the child with tender
words, and brought her warm garments
and put them on as well as he could.
Nothing availed much in the way of
comfort until the dark eyes rested on
life-size portrait that hung on the wall
1t was likeness of little Roland, stand
ing confident and smiling, his head
thrown backward with boyish grace.
The little girl sprang up with rapture
of voice and look.
ooh Mauricel Mon joli cousin
DouX, douX Mauricel"
Climbing upon chair she kissed the
pictured feet and reached up to caress
the dimpled hands. Soon the rapid
glance discovered another picture. 1t
was a smaller portrait of Roland, one
dearer to his father and like the image
he ever carried in his heart. The head
was little bent, the face wore a serious,
half-shy expression-the look the boy
used to wear as he asked those strange,
other-world questions that no one could
answer. The little girl looked from
this face to the grief-shadowed counte-
nance beside her.
" Oh, the sweet little onel the dar-
ling boy! Is he your own? Is he with
the angels? My mamma, she is with
the good God and with the blessed
angels"
Then she went back to the picture on
the wall, which she persisted in calling
" Maurice"
Elliston at last coaxed her away to
her breakfast, for which she presently
manifested an alarming appetite. He
wished to question her of her home and
friends, but was afraid of bringing back
the tears that he felt so helpless to con-
tend with. Besides, he felt that his
French was very incoherent, and the
little girl listened with surprise that
seemed almost alarm to his laboriously
built sentences. Though of the child
as of Chaucer's Prioress, it might be
said that " French of Paris was to hire
unknowe," yet her speech was suffi-
GENTLY fluent.
"Will it be Christmas tomorrow"
at length she said, having finished her
broth. d" My kind Pauline said Christ
mas would be in days one, two, three,
four. We were on the deep water.
We would 60 far, far, to the house of
my aunt and of my sweet cousin Maui
rice. 1t rained and rained, and l cried
and Pauline cried. And l slept, and l
see Pauline and Louis no more, and
Christmas comes not at all! Poor little
Violette."
And the child sobbed loud and long
in climax of self-pity.
But again the sadness was charmed
away. Elliston brought out his violin
and played to the little girl. But she
would have no mournful strains, and
all against his will her friend found
himself playing away Scotch airs, while
"poor little Violette - smiled again.
When the short afternoon was closing,
Elliston sat in sad musing by the great
eastern window. He was started by a
Cry from the child, more broken
than ever He had forgotten her as she
nestled asleep in a great chair. AS she
awoke in the Swallowed room, the ST.
lence had struck chill to her heart.
Pityingly, yet with some Impotence
he started up, obliged to be gay in
spite of himself. He sang, he played
for the entertainment of his guest
In return Violette herself offered to
tell long story. Her listener could
not very well catch the drift of this
seemed to be prominent characters
Afterward came more questions about
Christmas, and with murmured
prayer the child fell asleep.
Something must be done about Christ.
mas. This was certain. Perhaps Vic.
lette had never seen a Christmas-tree
No matter, she would be all the more
delighted.
The next day little Violette obedi.
emily stood at the window and watched
Elliston as he walked over the rocks tC
where few stunted cedars were stand
ing. When he had cut little tree anC
brought it home, she fondled the stiff
foliage with her hands as if it were al
old friend.
Elliston had read romances of wrecked
sailors, and had been surprised at the
ease with which they had found on the
deserted ship every article demanded
by the eXigencies of the story. AnC
now, as he made search through the
} chilly halls of the hotel, he wondered
: to find so many unconsidered trihes .
| which had ewly-acquired value. NJ
, need to tell of the discoveries he made
or to recount the triumph of his invent
} i've skill. Enough that the result de
J lighted Violette even more than haC
: the preparations. Carping critics nigh
= have objected to the use of the half
? dozen Chinese lanterns that Ellistol
r found in cupboard, on the grounC
, that their garish splendor quite eclipseC
the more humble ornaments of the
= cedar. But no critics were present
5 and the little stranger went to sleep
b tired and happy child.
She was wide awake the next morn
ing, when the first rays of Christina
= light dawned over the sea. And /" lis
. | temp she said with the lioht of morn